As the Statue of Liberty celebrates it’s 125th. Anniversary this week, I would like to make reference to it’s vital connection to the old U.S. Lighthouse Services/ USLHS, the future home to the National Lighthouse Museum. As one may not know, the Statue of Liberty is the first lighthouse to be electrified and is the most famous lighthouse in the world!
When the Statue was first erected, it was put under the supervision of the USLHS the “SUPER” Depot for all lighthouses in the country, based in St. George, Staten Island, New York.

At the time, it was a costly lighthouse to keep and the Keeper of the Statue got paid $1,000 per year as opposed to the other Keepers getting $600 annually, as he needed to know about electricity and of course blackouts were quite frequent in 1886…The Statue of Liberty was a Centennial gift from France delivered 10 years late due to funding issues.

Ironically, the National Lighthouse Museum is also over 10 years late in it’s delivery…the Statue of Liberty had fundraising problems also…it took 10 years for the United States to build the pedestial to hold it, thus delaying the receiving of this centennial gift from France…The fundraising efforts were finally spearheaded by Joseph Pulitzer (noted for the Pulitzer Prize) who opened the editorial pages of his newspaper, “The World” to support the fundraising efforts. He used the paper to critize the rich who had failed to finance the pedestial construction and also the middle class who were content to depend upon the wealthy in hopes they would fund the project. Pulitzer’s harsh criticism was successful in motivating the people of America to donate.

Fast forward to May, 1982, when President Ronald Reagan appointed Lee Iacocca to head up a private sector effort to restore the Statue of Liberty thus implementing the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation…